It’s raining money: ACB raids 15 govt officials

By Praveen Kumar | NT

Bengaluru: Anti-Corruption Bureau officials stood holding buckets as cash rained down from rain water pipes in the ceiling, at the Jewargi residence of SM Biradar, a Junior Engineer at the Public Works Department. Biradar, who took nearly a half hour to open the door when ACB officials came knocking, was busy hiding his money in what he thought was an ingenious location - rainwater pipes.. The team of 44 personnel who conducted the raid saw through his plan, however and a plumber was brought in to cut the pipes. Around `40 lakh was confiscated in total, out of which Rs 13 lakhs were hidden in the ceiling.

Over 300 officials raided the homes of 15 government officials across Karnataka on Wednesday, in a massive operation that took them to over 60 locations across the state. Crores worth of immovable assets like homes and land and movable assets including cash and gold were seized.

In Gadag, the home of T.S. Rudresh resembled a jewellery store. Rudresh, or Rudreshappa, is the Joint Director, Agricultural Department. The team of 44 officials were taken aback to find nine kilograms of gold ornaments, worth Rs 3.5 crore and cash worth Rs 15 lakh in the house. The array of gold ornaments included 15 gold chains, bangles, multiple pairs of earrings, finger rings and bracelets.

A goldsmith was hired to check the authenticity of the gold and the total weight of the recovered gold ornaments.